Would you consider (pure) visual novels to be video games, or another form of interactive media?

Are they on a video game console or PC? If yes, then there you go, you answered your own question. Now are they GOOD video games? That depends on the visual novel in question. If you hang your game hat on the narrative hook, your writing better be the toppest of notches.

Will indie game developers ever be free of gatekeepers trying to censor their games?

No, because critics will always exist and have their respective opinions, but that doesn't entail censorship, just gatekeepers, and the industry needs gatekeepers, but not censors. The jump to censorship comes with critics that feel their opinion is the only valid one, and that is where the problem lies: ego.

Is "death of the author" a stupid idea, or what?

Both how something is intended, and how it is received, are important to consider, but they are not equally important. Context is key. We cannot simply declare something is X because we feel it is X, especially if there is no evidence the author intended it to be X.

Do you like gummy bears?

You could live in any fictional world you wanted.
However you would forever be an ordinary person. In that world.
For eg a squib in Harry Potter
A non trainer in pokemon.
You would never be able to change from being ordinary

How are you doing? I actually mean that. I'd like to know if you want to tell me.

At any given time I'm probably not well. I've lived with chronic illness since I was 11 that is both painful and draining. You get used to it after a while, though. At this moment, I'm just happy to have found a bunch of people who have similar experiences with gaming to overcome those kind of things. It helps more than I could put to words.